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Tennessee · Fishing
Tennessee puts a lot of different fishing in front of you without requiring much travel between spots.
200 spots9 townsUpdated dailyFree to access
View on mapFishing · 200 spots
Tennessee puts a lot of different fishing in front of you without requiring much travel between spots. The western part of the state is built around flatland lakes and oxbows — places like Robertson Lake near Memphis, Cane Creek Lake Number Nineteen near Ripley, and the Cypress Creek Number Ten Lake near Dresden offer accessible bank and pier fishing for bass, crappie, and catfish. Move toward the center and you hit bigger impoundments: J. Percy Priest Lake outside Nashville, Watts Bar Lake near Harriman, and Dale Hollow Lake near Byrdstown draw anglers after largemouth, smallmouth, stripers, and walleye depending on the season. Pier access at Cages Bend near Gallatin keeps things simple if you're not trailering a boat. In the east, the fishing changes character entirely. The Little River in Great Smoky Mountains near Townsend runs rainbow and brook trout at around 1,400 feet elevation and calls for moderate wading skills and a fly rod. The Elk River Tailwater at Tims Ford Dam near Winchester is a more forgiving entry point for trout fishing — the elevation sits at 820 feet, the current is manageable, and both rainbow and brown trout are present. With 304 active listings across the state, Tennessee covers a wide range of skill levels, water types, and target species.
You need a valid Tennessee fishing license for virtually all public waters in the state. Some locations — particularly urban ponds and neighborhood lakes like Oliver Grove Neighborhood Pond near Arlington — may fall under special access programs that have their own rules, so check with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) before you go. A standard annual license covers most lake and river fishing statewide.
Spring (March through May) is the most productive window on the big impoundments, when bass move shallow to spawn and crappie stack up near structure. Fall is a close second, especially for stripers and walleye on lakes like Watts Bar near Harriman. Summer fishing holds up early in the morning and in the last hour before dark — midday heat pushes fish deep and slows surface activity considerably.
Jefferson Springs
~26 min drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Shutes Branch
~54 min drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Rockland Recreation Area
~1h 1m drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Cages Bend
~1h 1m drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Elk River Tailwater at Tims Ford Dam
~1h 16m drive
Easy
Center Hill Lake
~1h 22m drive
Moderate
Poole Knobs
~31 min drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Nat Caldwell Park
~1h 6m drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Long Branch
~1h 18m drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Smith Springs
~36 min drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Sterling Farmer Lake
~13 min drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
Floating Mill Park
~1h 21m drive
A worthwhile stop near TN.
creekWild TroutFly fishing
Townsend, TN
rainbow trout, brook trout
Lake fishing
Brentwood, TN
River fishing
Chuckey, TN
Lake fishing
Wartrace, TN
Lake fishing
Henning, TN
Lake fishing
Pikeville, TN
Lake fishing
Bells, TN
River fishing
Ocoee, TN
Lake fishing
Pocahontas, TN
Lake fishing
Whiteville, TN
Lake fishing
Knoxville, TN
Lake fishing
Mount Pleasant, TN
Lake fishing
Brownsville, TN
Lake fishing
Finley, TN
Lake fishing
Buena Vista, TN
Lake fishing
Lexington, TN
Lake fishing
Bumpus Mills, TN
Lake fishing
Deer Lodge, TN
Lake fishing
Clinton, TN
Lake fishing
Bells, TN
Lake fishing
Camden, TN
River fishing
Townsend, TN
Pier fishing
Gallatin, TN
Lake fishing
Ripley, TN
The listing rates it moderate difficulty, which is honest. The river holds rainbow and brook trout, but the streambed is rocky and the current can be pushy in higher water. If you haven't waded moving water before, the Elk River Tailwater at Tims Ford Dam near Winchester is a better starting point — it's rated easy, sits at 820 feet elevation, and the tailwater flow is more predictable than a mountain freestone stream.
For the lakes — whether you're at Dale Hollow near Byrdstown, Douglas Lake near Oak Grove, or pier fishing at Cages Bend near Gallatin — a medium-action spinning rod in the 6.5- to 7-foot range handles most bass and crappie situations. For the Little River in the Smokies or the Elk River Tailwater, a 9-foot, 5-weight fly rod is the standard setup. Wading boots with felt or rubber soles matter on the slick mountain streambeds.
Yes, a good portion of the 304 listings are accessible without one. Pier fishing at Cages Bend near Gallatin is a straightforward option on the Cumberland River system. Bank access is available at many of the smaller lakes like Jennings Pond near Ripley, Shack Lake near Loretto, and Mont Milner Lake near Sewanee. The Elk River Tailwater near Winchester is wade-in access, and the Little River in Great Smoky Mountains is the same.
